Systems and methods for device connectivity-based authentication

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for device connectivity-based authentication. An example method includes receiving, from a first device, an authorization request associated with a first action. The example method also includes receiving a current connectivity dataset from the first device which indicates one or more devices detected by the first device to be in communication with the first device. The example method also includes comparing the current connectivity dataset with a reference connectivity dataset. The example method also includes determining, based on the comparison, whether the current connectivity dataset and the reference connectivity dataset satisfy a predefined similarity threshold. The example method also includes authorizing, in an instance in which the current connectivity dataset and the reference connectivity dataset satisfy the predefined similarity threshold, the first device to perform the first action.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by communications hardware and from a first device at a first location, a current connectivity dataset indicating communication characteristics associated with one or more devices currently in communication with the first device;   comparing, by an authentication engine, the communication characteristics of the one or more devices indicated in the current connectivity dataset with previous communication characteristics associated with the one or more devices indicated in a reference connectivity dataset associated with the first location;   determining, by the authentication engine and based on the comparison, that the current connectivity dataset and a reference connectivity dataset satisfy a predefined similarity threshold; and   authorizing, by the authentication engine and based on the determination, the first device to perform a first action.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting, by an optimization engine and based on the communication characteristics indicated by the current connectivity dataset, at least one device of the one or more devices currently in communication with the first device as a node in an optimal communication path; and   facilitating, by the communications hardware, a data transmission from the first device to a second device via the selected at least one device, wherein the data transmission is associated with the first action.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication characteristics comprise a packet loss characteristic, a bandwidth communication characteristic, a latency communication characteristic, and a jitter communication characteristic. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the communication characteristics further comprise a connection type communication characteristic and a security communication characteristic. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting, by the authentication engine and from a plurality of reference connectivity datasets, the reference connectivity dataset to compare with the current connectivity dataset, wherein the reference connectivity dataset is selected based on (i) the first location and (ii) a current time indicated by the current connectivity dataset.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the current connectivity dataset and the reference connectivity dataset are determined to satisfy the predefined similarity threshold in response to determining, by the authentication engine and from the comparison, that a portion of the communication characteristics indicated in the current connectivity dataset correspond to a portion of the previous communication characteristics indicated in the reference connectivity dataset. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein at least one previous communication characteristic comprises an average or range of values based on a plurality of historical current connectivity datasets from which the reference connectivity dataset was generated. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus comprising:
 communications hardware configured to receive, from a first device at a first location, a current connectivity dataset indicating communication characteristics associated with one or more devices currently in communication with the first device; and   an authentication engine configured to:
 compare the communication characteristics of the one or more devices indicated in the current connectivity dataset with previous communication characteristics associated with the one or more devices indicated in a reference connectivity dataset associated with the first location, 
 determine, based on the comparison, that the current connectivity dataset and a reference connectivity dataset satisfy a predefined similarity threshold, and 
 authorize, based on the determination, the first device to perform a first action. 
   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 an optimization engine configured to select, based on the communication characteristics indicated by the current connectivity dataset, at least one device of the one or more devices currently in communication with the first device as a node in an optimal communication path,   wherein the communications hardware is further configured to facilitate a data transmission from the first device to a second device via the selected at least one device, wherein the data transmission is associated with the first action.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the communication characteristics comprise a packet loss characteristic, a bandwidth communication characteristic, a latency communication characteristic, and a jitter communication characteristic. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the communication characteristics further comprise a connection type communication characteristic and a security communication characteristic. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the authentication engine is further configured to select, from a plurality of reference connectivity datasets, the reference connectivity dataset to compare with the current connectivity dataset, wherein the authentication engine selects the reference connectivity dataset based on (i) the first location and (ii) a current time indicated by the current connectivity dataset. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the authentication engine determines that current connectivity dataset and the reference connectivity dataset satisfy the predefined similarity threshold in response to determining, from the comparison, that a portion of the communication characteristics indicated in the current connectivity dataset correspond to a portion of the previous communication characteristics indicated in the reference connectivity dataset. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein at least one previous communication characteristic comprises an average or range of values based on a plurality of historical current connectivity datasets from which the reference connectivity dataset was generated. 
     
     
         15 . A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing software instructions that, when executed, cause an apparatus to:
 receive, from a first device at a first location, a current connectivity dataset indicating communication characteristics associated with one or more devices currently in communication with the first device;   compare the communication characteristics of the one or more devices indicated in the current connectivity dataset with previous communication characteristics associated with the one or more devices indicated in a reference connectivity dataset associated with the first location;   determine, based on the comparison, that the current connectivity dataset and a reference connectivity dataset satisfy a predefined similarity threshold; and   authorize, based on the determination, the first device to perform a first action.   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores software instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to:
 select, based on the communication characteristics indicated by the current connectivity dataset, at least one device of the one or more devices currently in communication with the first device as a node in an optimal communication path; and   facilitate a data transmission from the first device to a second device via the selected at least one device, wherein the data transmission is associated with the first action.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the communication characteristics comprise a packet loss characteristic, a bandwidth communication characteristic, a latency communication characteristic, and a jitter communication characteristic. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the communication characteristics further comprise a connection type communication characteristic and a security communication characteristic. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores software instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to:
 select, from a plurality of reference connectivity datasets, the reference connectivity dataset to compare with the current connectivity dataset, wherein the reference connectivity dataset is selected based on (i) the first location and (ii) a current time indicated by the current connectivity dataset.   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the current connectivity dataset and the reference connectivity dataset are determined to satisfy the predefined similarity threshold in response to determining, from the comparison, that a portion of the communication characteristics indicated in the current connectivity dataset correspond to a portion of the previous communication characteristics indicated in the reference connectivity dataset.